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Kick Serve

Tennis / Popular

Generate topspin on the second serve for safety and bounce.

What coaches agree on

  • Hold a continental grip, and for extra bite on the ball, shift your heel pad a little further toward an eastern backhand position.
  • Brush the racket up and across the back of the ball so it travels out to the side along your own baseline, rather than swinging straight through toward the target - that sideways, upward brushing motion is what curves the ball.
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Common mistakes

  • Tossing the ball out to your hitting side - the same spot used for a flat or slice serve - closes off the racket face and turns the kick into an accidental slice.
  • Reaching up to full extension the way you would on a flat serve leaves no room for the racket to keep rising through the ball, so the topspin disappears.
  • Rotating the torso to face the target instead of holding it sideways straightens the racket face out, turning the kick into a slice or sending the serve off target.